With the population of Dubai reaching four million in August 2025, the rising population is predicted to have an immense impact on the residents of the city directly and indirectly in terms of higher demand for homes, public transport, job opportunities and visas, healthcare professionals and facilities, educational facilities, and infrastructure projects, among other needs.
In this space, we are going to take a quick look at the steady increase in the population in the city and its impact on the residents.
Steady Rise in Population
As per the estimate of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, this is the highest population that the city has witnessed in its history. In fact, the number of residents in the city has doubled in 14 years, as the population stood at only 2 million in 2011. Reports suggest that the population of the emirate was only 187,187 in 1975, and reached the 1 million mark in early 2002, the 2 million mark in 2011, and the 3 million mark in 2018.
The population of Dubai increased from 2 million to 3 million in a span of seven years and then from 3 million to 4 million in another seven years. It is believed that if the growth takes place at this rate, the population of the city could reach 5 million by 2032 and a whopping 6 million by 2039, which will then potentially surpass the estimated 5.8 million as per the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
Dubai experienced the slowest increase in population in 2021 because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is when numerous companies laid off employees, and that led to many people returning to their homeland. However, since then, the city has bounced back to its position as the hub of attraction for millionaires, billionaires, professionals, entrepreneurs, and businessmen, offering a world-class lifestyle, better job opportunities, high returns on investment, and safety and security.
Similar to the population of Dubai, the population of the UAE, as a whole, has also been on the rise over the past several years, reaching an all-time high of 11.39 million, as per Worldometer.
Impact of the Rising Population
The growing population of Dubai will translate to an increased demand for goods and services. Therefore, residents of the city will witness a greater variety of options available across numerous sectors. Furthermore, it also means that the overall demand would be more inflationary in nature, as there will always be a narrative for a strong demand.
It is predicted that consumers may look to explore newer options, including Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) solutions and providers, along with online and digital options for buying food, groceries, and other products. With the rise in urban population, traffic backlogs would become a major roadblock. This could imply that more residents will be seeking resettlement to the nearest and most economical residential hubs near their place of work.
To Conclude
Dubai is home to a dynamic community of expat residents with diverse lifestyle preferences and income levels. As a major chunk of the population relies on public transportation, including metro, trams, buses and taxis, the continuously growing population will call for more transport resources and more infrastructural development.